Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to light beam scanning and, more particularly, to providing images, mapping, etc. of scenes via light beam scanning.
Description of the Related Art
Beam scanning, also referred to herein as light beam scanning, includes directing a light beam at an object and determining a distance to the object based on a “time of flight” between an emitter of the light beam and a detector of the reflected light beam. The emitter and detector can be included in a common device.
Light beam scanning can be used to generate an image, 3D map, etc. of one or more portions of a scene, including one or more objects in the scene, by scanning a pulsed light beam over the scene and determining a flight time of the light beam pulses between the device and various parts of the scene. As used herein, generating an image, 3D map, etc. of one or more portions of a scene includes “image mapping” of the one or more portions of the scene. In some cases, a 3D map of an object, scene, etc. includes a 3D “point cloud” of multiple individual points of reflection of light beam pulses off of various surfaces on one or more objects located in a scene. A light beam scanning device can, in some cases, emit a pulsed light beam which is “scanned” over a field of view of the device by a “scanner”. The device can detect and process the various reflected light beam pulses which are reflected from various surfaces located within the field of view and received at a detector to determine the position, within the field of view, of each of the various points on the object from which the light beam pulses were reflected.